Agent, Run!, the cheeky new game that we have been keeping an eye on for a short while, officially launches today on Google Play.

The running game brings some of the best elements of the genre and old school cold war espionage intrigue to Android users. Players should appreciate the different take on the control mechanism.

Created by Matthias Maschek (AgentDroid) and Wolfgang Knecht (pixelclash)â€”two indie developers hailing from Viennaâ€”Agent, Run! is the perfect mix between endless runners and 007-inspired goons and gadgets. Players take on the role of square-jawed, stylish Agent Robert Robertson in order to defeat the villainous Professor E. Vil and his horrific (and pixel-perfect) â€œDoomsday Machineâ€â€”which has the potential to end the world as we know it.

The game is a fast-paced 2D endless runner with gesture-based controls focusing on *disabling hazards* versus the usual jumping/sliding. Swiping the screen allows players to destroy drones, open heavy metal doors and even freeze shark tanks! Some of Agent, Run!â€™s many gadgets include a jetpack, Hazmat suit, bazooka, hedge trimmer, zipline, and more.

It’s a 2D runner, with the familiar paradigm of action progressing from left to right. The graphics are a bit witty in nature, with purposefully gappy animations and frenzied characterizations. The visuals change as the running is done, from interior spots to outdoor environments, and the obstacles are fairly easy to understand. Our agent is appropriately tuxedo-ed, and the developer does a decent job of incorporating fun sequences within the gameplay.

As far as action, it is based heavily on the control set; in this game, gestures rule roost. To begin, our secret agent man parachutes into the running area and gets moving as soon as his feet hit the ground. This is smart, as there is an ever-present group of goons hot on his heels for as long as he runs. These goons can’t catch our hero unless he slows down or falls, but the kicker is that there are quite a few obstacles in this lethal environment.

The obstacles are interesting, and the initial run doubles as an interactive tutorial. There area lot of doors to get through, for example, and swiping on these doors open them so that our guy can get through without being slowed down. Then, there are guard dogs that fortuitously have bones hanging by ropes above their heads. The dogs can be distracted by swiping to cut the ropes so that the dogs pay more attention to the bones than the intruder. There are boxes too, that can be swiped for the gold collectible coins that they divulge. Running into too many obstacles ends a run, with the distance run being a measure of success.

As the game goes on, the obstacles get a bit sneakier: bomb drones, weird vegetation, slide-up doors and more. Quick reactions are a plus, and the swiping gets frenetic. The game also incorporates an in-game shop for items that can be purchased with accumulated coins, and such items are necessary to progress. The achievement system is a fun diversion within the game, and in some senses, heighten the fun factor by encouraging players to live on the edge.

I liked the interaction system; focusing on the obstacles rather than the runner is quite refreshing, and I like the simple bonuses and the straightforward premium pricing (needed to get past the first level). The review build does feel a tad repetitive in spots, but nonetheless, it is the perfect time waster.

It might not be the most sophisticated looking spy thriller around, but I suspect it isn’t trying to be… and even Bond can appreciate that.